


I Got Tired of Writing Dark and Depressing Things so Here’s Some Shitty Romantic Garbage

by TrashySinner (goodonebarb)



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: AU, Barry Kramer - Freeform, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Game Grumps - Freeform, Generic office AU?, Good Garbage, I actually submitted this to a professor once, In a creative writing class, It doesn't feel like fanfiction but it is, Love Confessions, Mild Language, Original Character(s), POV First Person, Workplace Relationship, but still, covert fanfiction, garbage, hella au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 15:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17103266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodonebarb/pseuds/TrashySinner
Summary: So this is a weird piece okay? I originally wrote it for a class. I shit you not. So it's not super overtly "THIS IS FANFICTION" but I'm not mad about it? It's super sweet and like if you want a little cute office IT Barry then kabish kabosh here you are. Enjoy!





	I Got Tired of Writing Dark and Depressing Things so Here’s Some Shitty Romantic Garbage

This was not how I expected my day to turn out.   
Sure I had a bit of a rough start, the milk had gone sour so I couldn’t have my usual cereal. Maybe that was some sort of cosmic warning. The universe trying to tell me that “it’s going to be a weird day.” Then when I went to make my much needed cup of coffee I found that, there was none left. Well, there was like a spoonful but certainly not enough to brew my coffee. Nope I liked it dark and bitter. It had to be like my grandma’s coffee: bitter black sludge strong enough to wake the dead.   
I tried to figure out why I was so low on breakfast supplies until I remembered that instead of going to the grocery store yesterday my wonderful friends dragged me to the movies. “You work too hard Em! It’s been so long since we’ve had a girl’s night!” I could hear Jennifer’s whiny voice grating against my brain. I rolled my eyes as I remembered what movie it was that she deemed more important than buying food. “I’ve been dying to see ‘Chivalry and Sin’! This is going to be the one where Princess Rosalie and Sir Chadrick finally hook up!” Normally I loved to insult sheer impossibility and bullshit of shitty romantic dramas. But something had ruined that fun for me. Or rather someone.  
I glanced at the clock before I could get lost in my romantic despair. Shit. I’m going to be late. I hastily threw on a blouse and skirt before grabbing my work bag and dashing down the stairs.   
I tossed my hair up into a messy I-don’t-give-two-shits-about-how-I-look ponytail, started the car and sped off to work. I felt a pit in my stomach as I remembered that this was going to be the third time this week I was late. Jeff was going to kill me. I could just imagine his uptight ass getting on his high horse and preaching to me about why my tardiness was unacceptable and how I needed to try harder. Prick.  
Everyone could sense my frustration the minute I walked into the office. An aura of pissed-off and hopeless clung to me like one of those really sticky cloth band aids, you could pull it off but that gross sticky shit would stay on your skin for days. That was me. I sat at my desk, uncaffeinated, unfed and utterly alone. I logged onto my computer staring at the smudged screen with disinterest. However once the screen booted up it flashed blue. My mouth gaped slightly. I stared at the pixelated white text in horror. No. Anything but the blue screen of death. 

I banged my head on the keyboard a few times before resting my head on the rather uncomfortable surface, accepting my fate. My computer didn’t want to work and neither did I. Who cared what Jeff had to say? My life was falling apart anyways. A tightness tugged at my chest. This was just not my day.  
Okay it hadn’t been my year. Between being dumped by my girlfriend of two years, losing my beautiful furry baby Bork, and being relentlessly pestered by my loving mother to get out and “make her some grandbabies” as she put it, I was fed up.   
That and...Barry. My heart ached at the thought. Barry was the sweet, awkward IT guy. And I had it bad for him. Not even in a good way, this was one of those soul wrenching crushes that took your still-beating heart out of your chest, wrestled it to the ground and made you its bitch. I couldn’t look at him without the wind being knocked out of me. I had only spoken to him twice. Two goddamn times and I was falling apart every time I saw him. I could remember our encounters vividly.   
When I first got this job a few months ago Barry was the one who explained the computer system. It was ridiculous but I just felt...such good vibes from him. He just had a comfortable presence. Maybe it was the way his warm hazel eyes gave me his full attention, or the sympathy they radiated when I was confused about some stupid intricacy of the system. It could’ve been the earthy smell that lingered around him, gentle and almost maple-y. Maybe it was his carefree stubble that sometimes grew into a very manly beard.   
It was agonizing.  
“Emma.” Shit. I jolted into an upright position, going stiff once I caught sight of Jeff’s rather annoyed, pompous face. “What are you doing? You show up late and now you’re not working?” His voice made me want to break things. I let out sigh. “My computer isn’t working.” I muttered trying to sound like I gave a shit. He frowned at me like a parent scolding a child. “Now Emma we’ve been through this. What do we do when we have a technological problem?” His patronizing tone was almost enough to make me lose it. I took a deep breath. I reminded myself just how well this job pays and that if I kept at it maybe one day I could pay off my student loan debts. Trying not to sound too infuriated I responded, “Call IT.” Jeff nodded. “Good. Now you really need to step it up. If you keep showing up late like this we are going to need to have a serious talk.” I nodded as I contemplated strangling him with his silky lavender tie. With a curt nod of approval Jeff strutted back to his office.   
I glanced at the phone with frown. On the one hand I wanted to see Barry, but on the other hand I would have to see Barry. He made me frustratingly nervous. I was like some love-sick middle schooler. I stuttered and acted like the most awkward dork in the entire universe. It was a delicious torture, I wanted to be near him but couldn’t bear it. Stupid hormonal bullshit. I glanced back at my computer and then at the phone.   
I let out a long sigh of defeat before dialing the extension for IT. Much to my relief Barry was not the one to pick up the phone. After quickly explaining my predicament, Greg, the other IT guy told me Barry would be up in a bit. Oh no. I’m not ready. Not mentally and certainly not physically. I was dealing with second-day unbrushed hair, smudged remnants of yesterday’s makeup and tired looking eyes. I hastily pulled my tiny smudged compact out of my work bag. God I look like a corpse.   
With an impressive haste, I began trying to compose myself. It was stupid really. Why should I care? But I didn’t want him to see me like this, tired and grumpy. I wiped the remnants of make up away with a tissue. There was more to me than sarcastic comments and bitter pessimism. Right? I let out a sigh. Good enough. Barry will just have to deal with hot mess Emma.   
I doodled on my notepad as I waited for Barry to come save my sorry ass. Before I knew it I heard the soft sound of steps on the bland industrial carpeting. I glanced back towards the sound and caught a glimpse of Barry. My blood pressure seemed to double. He had his glasses on today. Fuck. Guys with glasses had always been my weakness. Something about bad eyesight was desirable, it made me think he spent hours hunched over a computer or reading in bad lighting.   
“Hey Emma, what seems to be the problem?” I couldn’t help but smile at the friendly tone in his voice as I looked up at him. “Not sure. I tried to get it started up but…” I gestured to the screen awkwardly, “no dice.” He gave me a sympathetic smile and nodded. “The dreaded blue screen of death. A worthy adversary.” He took a step closer. “I’ll have you fixed up in a jiffy.” I wheeled back in my chair so he could get at the keyboard. He was so goddamn close.   
His forehead wrinkled as he worked his computer magic. Meanwhile I sat in the hot seat trying to decide if I should say something. Maybe a “how you doin’?” or a “what’s up?” I opened my mouth to speak. “So how you’s up?” I sputtered out. Fuck. Barry chuckled that cute laugh of his. “I’m good. How you’s up?” He glanced away from the computer screen to give me a sly sort of smile. That bastard. I let out an awkward laugh. “I’ve been better. I guess it’s just not my day.” The mischief melted from his expression. “How so?” He asked his voice full of painfully sincere concern. I felt an uncomfortable heat rise to my face. How was he so nice? He can’t be real. Real people are assholes.   
I swallowed nervously. Don’t say something stupid. “I didn’t get my coffee and came in late. Jeff told me off.” Success: I spoke like a normal human. He nodded and looked back at the computer. “That’s rough. He’s a bit uptight huh? Greg rags on him a lot. Apparently Jeff is always unsatisfied with the ‘performance of our programs’. Although in reality the program works fine Jeff just doesn’t know how to use a computer.” Then a spark of recognition crossed his face. Barry smiled mischievously. “It’d be really easy to prank him.” My face lit up with a similarly mischievous smile. “I suppose it would be. But who would do such a cruel thing?” I asked feigning innocence. Imagining Jeff getting frustrated about some silly pop-ups or virus gave me a great feeling of justice. “You know...perhaps” Barry began his voice less confident than before “we could discuss this sabotage over a drink after work? Or dinner sometime?” He asked glancing at me nervously.   
My jaw dropped slightly. Did he just...shit. I nodded. “O-Of course. That’d be grood. Great. Good.” My face caught fire as I stuttered awkwardly. “That’d be great.” I added trying to save my dignity. His face lit up. “Great! Here,” he paused as he reached for a pen and began jotting some numbers down on the be-doodled notepad, “shoot me a text sometime. I look forward to our...meeting.” He added awkwardly. A bubbling joy overwhelmed me. “Me too.” Holy shit. “Alright well you’re all fixed up,” Barry flashed me one more heart wrenching smile as he began exited the cubicle “see you soon!” He waved and then disappeared down the hall.   
I clutched at my heart. Goddamn. This was not how I was expecting this day to turn out. Not at all.


End file.
